Curved high density electrode mapping catheter

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a medical device. The medical device can include a catheter shaft that includes a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter shaft defining a catheter shaft longitudinal axis. A flexible tip portion can be located adjacent to the distal end of the catheter shaft, the flexible tip portion comprising a flexible framework, wherein the flexible framework is curved about a transverse framework axis that is disposed transverse to the catheter shaft longitudinal axis without application of a force external to the medical device. A plurality of microelectrodes can be disposed on the flexible framework and can form a flexible array of microelectrodes adapted to conform to tissue.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A medical device, comprising:
 a catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein a catheter shaft longitudinal axis extends through the proximal end and the distal end; 
 a flexible tip portion located adjacent to the distal end of the catheter shaft, wherein the flexible tip portion comprises a flexible framework comprising a plurality of arms, wherein the flexible framework has an unbiased state in which each of the plurality of arms extends circumferentially around a transverse framework axis through a central angle of at least 180 degrees to define an arc length, wherein the transverse framework axis is disposed transverse to the catheter shaft longitudinal axis, and wherein the flexible framework is in the unbiased state in the absence of an external force being applied to the flexible framework; 
 a plurality of microelectrodes disposed on the flexible framework and forming a flexible array of microelectrodes adapted to conform to tissue; and 
 a tether coupled to a distal end of the flexible framework, wherein the tether passes through a lumen defined by the catheter shaft, wherein the tether is actuatable to pull the distal end of the flexible framework proximally to increase the central angle by which each of the plurality of arms is curved around the transverse framework axis relative to the unbiased state of the flexible framework. 
 
     
     
       2. The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of arms comprises a first inboard arm, a second inboard arm, a first outboard arm, and a second outboard arm; and 
 each of the first inboard arm, the second inboard arm, the first outboard arm, and the second outboard arm extend along have a respective curved centerline that extends circumferentially around the transverse framework axis. 
 
     
     
       3. The medical device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the distal end of the flexible framework comprises a distal end connector; 
 the tether is coupled to the distal end connector; and 
 each of the first inboard arm, the second inboard arm, the first outboard arm, and the second outboard arm has a respective distal end that is attached to the distal end connector. 
 
     
     
       4. The medical device of  claim 3 , wherein the tether is configured to break at the distal end connector when a sufficient force is applied to the tether. 
     
     
       5. The medical device of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible framework is configured so that a lateral spacing of the first inboard arm, the second inboard arm, the first outboard arm, and the second outboard arm is maintained when the distal end of the flexible framework is pulled proximally by the tether. 
     
     
       6. The medical device of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible framework is monolithically formed. 
     
     
       7. The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible framework is configured to be retracted inside of the lumen defined by the catheter shaft. 
     
     
       8. The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of arms extends circumferentially around the transverse framework axis through the central angle of at least 270 degrees to define the arc length in the unbiased state. 
     
     
       9. The medical device of  claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of arms extends circumferentially around the transverse framework axis through the central angle of at least 320 degrees to define the arc length in the unbiased state. 
     
     
       10. A medical device, comprising:
 a catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the catheter shaft defines a central lumen, and wherein a catheter shaft longitudinal axis extends through the proximal end and the distal end; 
 a flexible tip portion located adjacent to the distal end of the catheter shaft, wherein the flexible tip portion comprises a flexible framework, wherein the flexible framework comprises a plurality of arms; wherein the flexible framework comprises a distal end connector, wherein each of the plurality of arms has a respective distal end that is attached to the distal end connector; wherein the flexible framework has an unbiased state in which the plurality of arms extends circumferentially around a transverse framework axis through a central angle of at least 180 degrees to define an arc length, wherein the transverse framework axis is disposed transverse to the catheter shaft longitudinal axis, and wherein the flexible framework is in the unbiased state in the absence of an external force being applied to the flexible framework; and 
 a plurality of microelectrodes disposed on the flexible framework and forming a flexible array of microelectrodes adapted to be conformable to tissue; and 
 a tether coupled to the distal end connector, wherein the tether passes through the central lumen, and wherein the tether is actuatable to pull the distal end connector proximally to increase the central angle that each of the plurality of arms extends circumferentially around the transverse framework axis relative to the unbiased state of the flexible framework.